High-pressure container with adapter for discharge apertures



Dec. 1, 1953 E. H. BENSON HIGH-PRESSURE CONTAINER WITH ADAPTER FOR DISCHARGE APERTURES Filed Jan. 8, 1951 INVENTOR. Ewes) h. 5/750/7 BY ,4 770 NE K Patented Dec. 1, 1953 1.31 5,".

UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE HIGH- PRESSURE CONTAINER WITH ADAPTER FOR DISCHARGE APER- TUBES This invention relates to containers or bottles for pressurized fluids and refers more particularly to the construction of filler and discharge openings of said containers.

In the transportation and storage of compressible or liquefied fluid such as inflammable gases or chemicals, the most common type of portable container in use today is a cylinder or bottle provided at one end with an outlet or closure adapted to receive a valve assembly for regulating the discharge of the contents. While various metallic materials have been used for the container shell, the standard cylinder of this type is formed from a high test steel because of its strength and long life. sure normally is the weak link in the container since it receives a major portion of the abuse given the cylinder and the valve assembly is repeatedly being coupled and uncoupled to and from the closure.

In op osition to the aforementioned advantages in the use of steel for the container is the relatively high weight of steel which make for excessive costs in shipping both when empty and filled, and its known propensity for the creation Y of sparks when struck sharply by a similar metallic or ceramic material. The latter becomes of particular importance in transporting inflammable gases, since should there be leakage due to a faulty container, the danger of an accidental explosion is ever imminent.

A problem which has been encountered in the construction of cylinders of this nature, whether they be of steel or other material, is in providing a valve adapter or closure assembly which is tightly enough secured to the container to foreclose the possibility of excessive pressure causing accidental blow-out. Normally, the adapter is fitted to the container by welding or by expensive machining processes and in either event the stresses are borne by the particular joint utilized. In particular the welded connection must be made under rigid supervision to insure a joint of sufficient strength, since weaknesses may occur not only in the weld itself but in the metal in the immediate area of the weld.

Broadly speaking, therefore, one object of my invention is to provide a container which is formed of light metal having non-sparking, nonmagnetic properties, yet of sufiicient strength that its wall thickness is not materially greater than that of a steel container, and one in which the related valve adapter or top closure may be constructed of a dissimilar material having increased resistance to prolonged wear.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve adapter for a container in which the stresses set up by the outward pressure thereon are contained in a structural member rather than a welded or threaded connection.

The discharge cloyield I2.

A further object of my invention is directed at providing a reinforced wall section for the reception of indicia to identify the content of the cylinder without providing separate reinforcement for the cylinder shell. Governmental regulations require that certain data be stamped or embossed on the outside of the container and since any sort of deformity to the cylinder wall sets up a point of stress concentration, either the thickness of the wall must be increased or a separate plate applied to the shell, generally by welding. Inasmuch as it is desirable to combine as many operations in manufacture as possible in order to reduce production costs, in my invention the reinforced wall portion is provided as an integral part of the valve adapter, the attachment of same also serving to provide the desirable area for stamping.

Still another object of my invention i to provide a container provided with a flat base or standard allowing the container to be set and transported in an upright position.

Another object is to provide a container which is simple to manufacture and easy to assemble, features which are advantageous particularly as they diminish the cost of production.

Other and further features and objects will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicat like parts in the various views:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention with parts broken away,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows,

Referring to the drawings, the numerals It and H denote respectively the upper and lower shelllike halves or sections of a cylindrical container having semispherical ends. The composition of the shells is preferably of sheet aluminum, being formed by drawing, with a wall thickness of a dimension necessary to at least meet the minimum fixed by governmental commissions for the maximum internal pressure of the particular gas for which the cylinder is adapted. As is evident from the drawings, the abutting ends Ida and Ho of shells It and H are flanged inwardly and joined by a continuous circumferential external Encircling the rounded bottom of shell H is a cylindrical foot ring l3, also preferably drawn from aluminum, whose lower edge projects below the bottom of the shell and is curled inwardly to provide a doughnut like base l3a providing a rigid support for standing the container in an upright position. The upper end of foot ring 130, is joined to the outer surface of shell ll adjacent its rounded bottom by a continuous weld, and the bore of the ring converging for a short distance with the shell bottom curvature to provide a partial seat therefor and serving to reduce the stress carried in the weld unitingthe base or stand and the container bottom.

Turning now to the upper end of the receptacle or top of the upper section, an important feature of my invention lies in the valve adapter assembly through which the container may be emptied or filled. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the adapter or closure comprises a substantially cylindrical plug member l4, preferably forged or cast from aluminum or more resistant metal with an umbrella shaped skirt Ma projecting radially therefrom. The circular plate likeflange or skirting t le is preferably of at least equal thickness with the wall of the shells. The closure is positioned within the aperture of the upper shell section so the contoured skirting seats upwardly against the inner surface of the shell rim and is joined thereto by continuous welds l l'c around its rim. It will be noted'that the flange or skirting l ia serves at least two important func tions; first, to more efiectively withstand stresses set up by the pressures within the container urging plug is outwardly; second, to reinforce the container wall adjacent the plug and'providean area for stamping or indenting specifications or indicia into the wall without reducing the container wall strength.

Plug Hi projects axially through the top of shell i and its upper diameter is reduced forming an annular shoulder lob, the diameter of the plug tapering slightly toward its upper end. Coaxially abutting the primary closure or adapter id'is a supplemental or secondary closure l having an outer circular flange portion iEa and a central boss i5b both externally threaded, thelatter to screw into the threaded aperture of the primary closure and the former to receive the internally threaded protector cap i6. An internally thread ed axial hole in the boss l5b accommodates a plug valve assembly or suitable discharge connection. Provided at the top of closure i5 is arectilinear bos (best seen in Fig. 3) to facilitate application of a suitable wrench for screwing the bossl5b into plug ill. While the composition of secondary closure i5 may be or" any material whicli will' take a good thread and which is highly resistant to prolonged wear occasioned by repeated re--- moval and attachment of protector cap lfiand.

fluid discharge connections, I have found that the best results are obtained with stainless steel, cadmium plated steel, brass or bronze. It should be noted that in the assembly of the supplemental closure i5 with the primary closure Hi a sealed connection is obtained by coating the bore of the plug [4 prior to assembly with hard setting red lead, thereby assuring a permanenttight fit.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility andmay be. employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a container for pressurized fluids having a neck-like projection provided with an internally threaded aperture extending axially therethrough and'communicating with the interior of the container, an adapter for said neck-like projection comprising a tubular boss threaded internally and externally, said boss being threadedly insertedin said aperture and having an enlarged head bearing tightly against the outer end of said neck-like projection, and a depending annular flange integral with said head and concentric with'said boss, said flange surrounding and fitting closely with the outer wall of said neck-like projection and being provided with external threads.

2. In combination with a container for pressurizedifiuids having a neck-like projection provided with an internally threaded aperture extending axially therethrough and a protector cap for said neck, an adapter for said neck-lil e projection comprising a tubular boss threaded externally and internally, said boss being threadedly inserted in said aperture and having an enlarged head seating tightly against the outer end of said neck-like projection, and a depending annular flange integral with said head and concentric with said boss, said flange surrounding and bearing tightly against the adjacent surface of said neck-like projection and being externally threaded to receive the protector cap.

3. In a container for pressurized fluids having a dome-shaped top with anenlarged axial opening therein, a closure for said opening comprising an axial plug having a threaded aperture extending therethrough and an umbrella-shaped flange or skirting extending radially from the plug on the inside of said container, said flange being contoured to correspond with and fit against the inside wall of said container around said opening and welded thereto within the container along its outer edge, the plug being welded to the outside of the container adjacent the base of the plug, said plug projecting outwardly from the surface of the container, an adapter for the plug comprising a central depending externally and internally threaded tubular boss, said boss being threadedly inserted in said plug and having an enlarged head portion covering the outer end of said plug, and a depending annular flange extending from said head and surrounding said plug, said annular flange being externally thread ed to. receive an internally threaded protector cap for said plug.

ERNEST H. BENSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,118,388 Zerbe May 24, 1938 2,148,234 Debor Feb. 21, 1939 2,200,162 Vulitch May 7, 1940 2,340,125 Huebner et al Jan. 25, 1944 2,376,831 Stearns May 22, 1945 2,421,460 Merker et al June 3, 194'? FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,535 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1915 432,718 Great Britain e Aug. 1, 1935 829,023 France Mar. 7, 1938 861,544 France Oct. 28, 1940 

